


Viscount Hood's Return

by hope-for-olicity (Jacq)



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Happy Ending, Holidays, Regency
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21646162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacq/pseuds/hope-for-olicity
Summary: Lady Felicity Smoak attends a Yuletide Ball and is surprised to discover Viscount Hood.
Relationships: Oliver Queen & Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 19
Kudos: 112





	Viscount Hood's Return

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Green_Arrows_of_Karamel (Mare9548)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mare9548/gifts).

> Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend Mare! This one is for you! I so hope you enjoy!  
This is my first attempt at regency so please be kind. When doing the minimal research I did for this story, I looked up Viscount names and there was indeed a Viscount Hood. I just seemed perfect.

_ London, England _

_ December 2nd, 1814 _

Lady Felicity Smoak looked out at the people dancing on the ballroom floor. Looked, being the keyword. She could not see. Felicity would need her spectacles to see anything that wasn’t directly in front of her but her mother insisted that she would never catch an eligible bachelor wearing them. 

Felicity hugged the wall trying to stay out of the way. She knew if she tripped her mother would be even more unhappy. Despite her lack of sight, she could tell that the annual Compton Yuletide Ball was packed. It was warm, she could smell the greenery that hung around the room to celebrate the season. She could also smell a sweet raspberry lemonade that was made special for the yuletide season for their guests to indulge. How Felicity wished she could indulge.

She listened to the music playing and the people talking, unable to decipher any of the conversations because sadly, no one was close enough. She began to tap her fingers against the wall in time with the music, anything to stop the boredom.

“Felicity Smoak, get away from that wall. Stand up straight. We want the gentlemen to see you, don’t we?” 

Duchess Donna Smoak’s face became clear as she stepped toward her daughter trying to tame down some of Lady Felicity’s unruly curls. 

“Are you sure I can’t wear my spectacles? How am I to know if I like the gentleman if I can’t see them?” Felicity again tried to reason with her mother. 

“They will like you, darling. How could they not?”

Felicity was about to argue her point again when a hush fell over the crowd. “What is it, Mama? I can’t see,” she resigned.

“I don’t know. Someone has arrived, wait a moment, I’ll tell you.”

Felicity could hear the excitement in her mother’s voice. Oh great, another potential suitor, probably just as boring as all the others she’d met. Was it wrong that Felicity would prefer to marry a man with whom she could have an interesting conversation, who wouldn’t cringe when she mentioned she loved books and finding out how things worked. Someone like her friend Oliver Queen, he seemed to enjoy conversing with her. But it had been so long since she’d heard from him, she worried he was been killed. His letters stopped but she could get no information as she was not family. 

She sighed as she watched her mother rush off to find yet another suitor.

~~~~~

Viscount Hood Oliver Queen arrived dressed in an old suit of his father’s that had been tailored to fit him. The yuletide ball was the last place he wanted to be but his baby sister Thea said it was her Christmas wish that they attend. Now, here he was the newly minted Viscount, a title he never expected to have.

Oliver was forced to leave his regiment when news came of his father’s unexpected death. During his time at war, his father inherited the title of Viscount. Oliver had been close to his father and was shocked to have to take up a duty he never dreamed of. 

Oliver began learning the ropes from the estate manager wanting to ensure the tenants were well cared for and his lands were being farmed properly. He introduced them to new irrigation ideas he’d been told about in a letter from his friend Lady Felicity Smoak. He was happy to see things prosper.

It had been a year since his father’s death, now that their mourning was over, Thea began pointing out that he needed a wife. Thea insisted the ball would be good for him too, after all, he now needed to produce an air, she teased. 

So as the matchmaking mamas conspicuously stared at him when he was introduced, Oliver wanted nothing more than to hide. He had no problem with women. He’d just wasn’t sure about marrying one. He didn’t even know what his criteria were supposed to be. He knew he was lucky that money didn’t have to be considered. For a brief moment, he thought about Lady Felicity.

After leaving Thea with their aunt and a school friend, Oliver decided to wander to see if he could find any of his old school mates, or better yet, hide.

~~~~~

Felicity tried to patiently wait for her mother to return but patience wasn’t really one of her strengths. She decided to take a step away from the wall to see what she could hear. The room was buzzing, surely she could pick up a name.

“Viscount Hood is out of mourning,” Felicity listened closely having no idea who Viscount Hood was. “Yes, he was called back from the war...his lands prosper.” Felicity stepped out just a little more, colliding with a rock-solid chest.

“I’m so sorry,” she quickly apologized. “I didn’t see…” Felicity stopped midsentence.

“What are you blind?” came the cross response.

“Yes, actually. I need my spectacles. I am so very sorry to run into you like,” Felicity looked up as the man came closer. “Oliver Queen? You’re home!” She quickly jumped his arms and gave him a hug. She was so glad he was alive. So many men did not come home.

~~~~~

Felicity Smoak was hugging him and he did not want to let her go. He held her close breathing in her scent. He’d missed her so much. They were childhood friends but it was their correspondence during the war that brought them closer. They confided their secrets to one another. She knew him better than anyone. He knew what they were doing, hugging, was wrong, he slowly pulled back. “Lady Felicity,” he gave her a beaming smile.

Suddenly he felt a whack on his arm. “How dare you? I thought you were dead! You stopped writing! I had no one to ask! I mourned for you!”

“Oww,” Oliver rubbed his arm. “That hurt. I didn’t mean for you to think that. I just thought you would have heard. Your mother tends to know these things.”

“These things?” Felicity gave him a pointed look.

Oh, Felicity was going to make an excellent mother, Oliver thought. Where the hell had that thought come from? He adored Felicity but she was always so young but looking at her now, oh my, she wasn’t so young anymore.

“Oliver? Are you going to answer me? What things?”

“Sorry, I was distracted. Felicity, I came home because my father died.”

“Oh,” Felicity looked down chastened. “I had no idea, I’m so sorry. My mother remarried, we spend most of our time in the country now. I’m so very sorry, Oliver, I know you were close.”

“Thank you.”

“Now,” Felicity leaned a little closer. “Maybe you could tell me what all the commotion was about a few minutes ago?”

Oliver shook his head. “I think it was me.”

~~~~~~

“You?” Felicity was confused. “Not that you aren’t important, I think you are very important but you are important to me, I hugged you.” Felicity looked away feeling her face getting warm.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Oliver put his hand on Felicity’s cheek to turn her face back to him. 

Oliver’s touch was so tentative and sweet, it just made her blush more.

“Felicity, there is something I need to tell you. When my father died…”

He was cut off by the arrival of Duchess Donna Smoak. “Viscount Hood, how lovely to see you again and with my darling Felicity. So glad you found one another.” Donna practically beamed.

“Viscount Hood?” Felicity pulled back. Yes, she knew that Oliver had impressive relations but Oliver a Viscount. How did that happen? She suddenly realized this would change everything. For a moment, she’d hoped that they continue their friendship but now with his new responsibilities, she didn’t think that could come to pass.

“Lady Felicity,” Oliver called her attention back to him. “Would you do me the honour of a dance.”

Felicity nodded but bit her lip. She so hoped she didn’t trip or bump into anyone. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” Oliver took Felicity hand and led her to the dance floor.

~~~~~~

As they made their way their way to the dance floor, Oliver recognized the music had become a waltz. He turned to face Felicity. “Will your mother be okay with you dancing the waltz?”

“I think my mother would be okay with me dancing anything with you,” Felicity spoke under her breathe but Oliver heard.

He chuckled. “Well, that’s good news for me.” Oliver took Felicity in his arms, she fit perfectly. They began to glide around the dance floor.

“So, Viscount Hood. I’m sure you will be wonderful.” Felicity gave him an encouraging smile.

“Thank you for your support. I really had no idea this would happen. I should thank you for helping me.”

“I helped you? I didn’t even know.” 

“Yes, Felicity all the talk in your letters about the irrigation systems you had read about. The article you attached. You thought they would improve English farming, you were right.”

“Well, the article was right, thank you for taking the time to read them. I was never sure if you were humouring me.” Felicity looked away. 

“Felicity I read everything you sent me. More than once. Your letters kept me going. I so enjoyed that you included these interesting articles. You kept me going, Felicity. I’ve missed you. I thought about contacting you upon my return but there was so much to do and I was in mourning and I didn’t know…” He trailed off.

“You didn’t know what?” Felicity peered up at him with her wide blue eyes.

“I didn’t know that you had grown up. That the woman with the beautiful mind who wrote me letters was a woman I could possibly marry.” Oliver couldn’t help himself. He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth they were true. He wanted to marry Lady Felicity Smoak.

~~~~~

Felicity would pinch herself if she could. This HAD to be a dream. Viscount Hood, Oliver did not just say marry to her. “What?”

“I mean understand I will have to court you and gain permission from your parents and of course, only if you wanted to but Felicity marrying you would be the best thing that could ever happen to me.”

“Oliver, slow down, you don’t even know me. I’m sure there is a better prospective bride out there for you. Have you really considered this? Marrying me bring you no advantage.” Felicity looked away again. Oh, how she wished she had something to offer. She would love to marry Oliver. 

“Felicity, you bring everything to the table. I do know you, we corresponded for years, you are a smart, interesting, beautiful woman and when I saw you tonight…” Oliver stopped.

“What? You thought I was I was blind.” Felicity made a joke, it’s what she did when she didn’t know what to do.

“Well, yes, but that’s because you are.” Oliver laughed. “But no, my first thought was what a beautiful woman you’ve become. I couldn’t believe that you and the Felicity Smoak to whom I had been corresponding were one and the same. Felicity, I believe I began falling in love with you in our letters but when I saw you tonight….you are the woman I want to marry. You are everything. Please tell me you would consider being my wife? I love everything about you. Just to be clear, you could always wear your spectacles, we would have whatever books and journals you wanted. I would greatly accept your input in running the estate.”

Felicity’s heart soared. Was this really happening? Oliver was alive, he was a viscount AND he wanted to marry her? He loved everything about her?! “Yes, Oliver I would be honoured to marry you.”

~~~~~

As the bells rang out to celebrate New Years Day, Viscount Oliver Queen married his one true love Lady Felicity Smoak.

  
  



End file.
